Sometimes I feel a little disappointed...

Have you ever had something disappoint you or been disappointed by something? Of course, we all have at some point in our lives. Disappointment is a feeling I prefer not to experience. I do not like to be disappointed, nor do I like to disappoint. I know throughout my life, some of my decisions have disappointed or have been a disappointment to family and friends because of decisions that affected them, my relationship with them, and me personally. I can honestly say that disappointing them was unintentional. Although some of the decisions I made have been "intentional" because those decisions had to do with what I deemed as proper or correct, based on the values instilled in me throughout my life and my belief in following a Christ-centered life, which I am almost positive is who I have disappointed the most in my life.

As crazy as it might sound, occasionally, it takes a painful disappointment to teach us a skill, strengthen our faith, or put us in the right place at the right time. Now I am not advocating we run out and test this by disappointing someone or ourselves. However, even in the critical moments in our life, God is in control of the situation. He is looking out for us. He is working out a plan that is bigger than we are, and we are going to be better for it in the end. What makes you say that you ask? It is written in Jeremiah 29:11 – "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not disaster to give you a future and a hope." 

"…a future and a hope". Isn't that wonderful to know? So, we ask, how do we overcome life's little disappointments? First, we must believe in God's plan as it is written in Jeremiah. This is God's assurance to the people of His plans to prosper them and give them a hopeful future. Even when we do not see immediate results, we can remain assured of God's ultimate blessing and benefit. The fruit may not come immediately, but it will come ultimately.

We must grieve a little when things have not gone as we wanted. When our hopes and expectations have been defeated, we need some quiet time to be sad, mourning the way we thought things would be. Once we fight through grief, we need to remember disappointment is not meant to define us or hold us hostage. Remember, there is a greater plan for our lives, and we cannot give it power. We must overcome.

You had to know this next one was coming; we should pray. Spend some time talking to your Heavenly Father. Tell Him your heartache. Tell Him about the plans you had and ask Him to show you why He's taken them away. I promise you that He has good in this for you, and it's okay to ask Him what that good is.

What's next? Listen and wait. Big things happen when we pray. Sometimes, they are blessings beyond our expectations. Sometimes they happen right away, but usually, they happen much later when we least expect them. You must keep waiting. You will know when the prayer has been answered.

We must look for the good when we have experienced disappointment. This is the time when it's most challenging - and most important - to find the good, grab onto it with both hands, and celebrate it. We need to. Every day is a new day, with a new beginning. We have a choice to wallow in self-pity or to move forward in our faith, hope, joy, and love. Psalm 118:24 provides the instruction for us to follow each day, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." It WILL make a difference and add value to our lives and the lives of others if we adopt this attitude.

I encourage each of us as leaders in our homes, communities, and organizations to understand we will have times in our lives when we are disappointed or disappoint others. We, as leaders, set an example for others, and we should not allow disappointment to take power over our lives. We should set the example of faith, hope, joy, and the unconditional love God provides us to overcome life's little pitfalls. Our example will become a teachable moment in the lives of others that will make a difference and add value. Jeremiah 29:11

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell

It Gives Me Pause

I have been absent of late. There is no excuse for my absence other than a few life setbacks that have challenged my time management each day, and it took a little settling within and a few friends prodding me that it has been long enough to pause, take a breath, get my thoughts together, and get back to work. I thank them for using a velvet hammer to get the message across to me. I am humbled, to say the least.

I recently read that “Sin is not just the wrong stuff we do; it’s the good we do not do.” It can be interpreted this way,” “Every choice we make, and every action matters to someone. Every choice we do not make and every action we do not take matters just as much.” Amen? 

Our grandson is very interested in the creatures of the world. He loves anything that crawls, climbs, jumps, spends a web, flies, anyway, you get the drift; he likes bugs, lizards, spiders, snakes, and so forth. His four sisters loathe all these creatures and do not want anything to do with them: perfect situation for a big brother. He will spend hours in an animated state of observation when he encounters one of these creatures, especially turtles. When he finds one of these creatures, he just cannot look away; he is totally focused on its movement and actions. Then he finds some reference in a book or a documentary and learns all about the creature, and when I visit, I get an education on the life and activities of the latest find. Good stuff if you like creepy crawlies. Good stuff if you like to spend quality time with a grandson, just saying. 

The thing that most amazes me is his seamless delivery of information. He has studied these creatures and knows everything about them down to the smallest detail. As I listen, it gives me pause. 

This reminds me of something I read about PAUSE and studying our Bibles. The acronym for PAUSE:

P – Prepare your heart. Start your quiet time by reciting Psalm 131:1-2. Visualize everything competing for our attention into a box, then give the box to God to handle for us.

A – Ask God to speak to You. Before we dive into our Bible study, ask God to help us understand His Word and how to apply the scripture correctly to our life. We know He promised to give us His wisdom if we ask.

U – Unpack the passage. When was the passage written? Who was the intended audience? What was the main theme? What does the passage show you about God’s character? As we begin the study, we should read through the passage several times, each time answering a different question. Pay attention to any phrases and ideas that continue to stand out to us.

S – Summarize the scripture. What resonated with us as we were reading? Spend several minutes asking God to show us the truths in His Word, and then log the key takeaways from the passage. This will help us process and track the insights God offers us.

E – Exercise the application. If we want to grow stronger in our faith, it’s not enough to study God’s Word; we must live it!

As leaders in our homes, communities, and organizations, we must continue to make choices and take actions that matter to others. Our actions and reactions to daily events and life events tell the story of our life in Christ, which is important to others. We have only one choice to do what is right, do it right away, and do it the right way.

I encourage each of us to make a difference and add value to others by preparing our heart, asking God to speak to us, unpacking the message to simplify it for others to understand with our life’s walk and talk, summarizing the scripture to apply to real world events, and exercising the application of the Word for others to convey of the strength of faith, hope, joy, and unconditional love for others. As leaders, we should follow Solomon’s wisdom; give 70% of our time to areas of strength; give 25% of our time to areas to improve, and give 5% of our time to the areas of our weakness. 1 Kings 10:1-9.

Have a wonderful day, 

James Dodwell

Do I Know You?

There is an old story about two men arriving at the Pearly gates about the same time. One of the men was excited beyond measure and the other sullen and looking a little afraid. The excited man said, “Hey, friend what is the matter, you should be happy.” The sullen man said, “I don’t know where I am and what to be happy about.” “Well,” said the excited man, “You are at the Pearly gates of heaven and we as Christians are about to be invited in.” The sullen man was thoughtful for a moment, then said, “I don’t know anything about this heaven, or what being a Christian means nor what to expect.”

The excited man said, “I have spent my life sharing the gospel and living an exemplary life helping others and doing what is right, my life’s walk and work spoke volumes about being a Christian”, “Say, you look familiar do I know you?” The sullen man replied, “Well, I should look familiar, I was your next-door neighbor for 20 years.”

There have been many times over the course of my life when I had the perfect opportunity to share my faith with someone and was as quiet as a church mouse. I am unsure why I did not say anything, other than the fact I felt unsure of what I could say and if it would be received as a positive message of hope and unconditional love or be taken as me being a pushy, self-righteous Bible thumper. Either way, I failed to share the Good News with a neighbor. The odd thing is I can remember almost every time I had the opportunity to share and did nothing. I believe these memories are God’s gift to me as “teachable moments” meant to challenge me going forward and to build a vision off their values.

As I pondered over this challenge, I was led to Mark 8:34-36, it begins “…He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me…””. He was communicating how to lead and set an example for others to follow.  Leadership is servanthood. There is no other definition that better defines a leader. We as leaders, must let our purpose prioritize our life. As in the story at the beginning the exited man had the heart and knowledge of what he should have been doing but he was not focused with a purpose of reaching others. We must live the life before we can lead others. We cannot share what we do not know for ourselves and we cannot give away what we do not possess. 

Our impact, as leaders, comes from relationships, not positions. Anyone can have a position but building a relationship takes special people with a heart for others. Leaders must replenish themselves. Our pastor said it best one afternoon while he was visiting my office. He said, “I just came from a meeting with my pastor to get my tank refilled.” Yes, even good pastor’s need a mentor to help them stay focused and recharged. Therefore, we should surround ourselves with people who can and will offer support as a Christian mentor and are willing to be honest with us. As leaders, we must call for commitment. We as, “Shepherds” must be committed to protecting our “flock”, sharing our faith, offering hope, expressing joy, and providing unconditional love for others to set the example.

As leaders, we must show security when handling tough issues because credibility comes by meeting needs and solving problems. We must choose and develop key people. People with a heart for serving others, a gift of being able to communicate clearly and concisely, and a willingness to do what is right in difficult situations. Also, as leaders, we must understand there is no success without a successor. Which brings me to my point, if we, as leaders, do not take the time to share the Good News with others and go the extra mile to develop those around us, what will our leadership look like in the future? Just saying…

I encourage each of us as leaders, to understand, “Leadership IS servanthood” at its finest. Good leaders are the difference makers in our society. We must take the opportunity to make a difference and add value to all those around us, daily. Whether it is through our talk or our walk it is our responsibility to share the Good News about faith, hope, joy, and unconditional love. Mark 8:34-36

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell

Who Was That Masked Man?

Who was that masked man? This question was on my mind recently when our son and his family visited with us to celebrate our Christmas gifting with them. We have five grands, three of them foster children, and two of the "fosters" were unsure about a big, jolly man with smiling eyes and a mask covering half of his face, dressed in casual attire and not a Santa suit. They walked around and gave me a few sideways glances. However, once I spoke to them, they recognized my voice and decided it was okay to come to me even if I was not dressed as Santa.

Our Christmas celebration was a little different this year, as I am sure was the same for your families. We are usually all bunched up at our son's in-laws on Christmas eve afternoon to visit all our daughters-in-law's side of the family. We share a meal, a little dirty Santa gift exchange, then we all nestle down, snug in our beds with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads for a long winter's nap. Christmas morning, we rise to see what Santa left for everyone. It is always a wonderful time. However, we sorely missed the warmth of being with all our family and sharing the gift of wide-eyed, surprised, excitement children have on Christmas morning. 

But, no matter, it was the correct decision for all our families because it is virtually impossible to control something you cannot see or touch, and it is up to us as leaders in our families, communities, and organizations, to follow the guidelines and do our level best to keep everyone as safe as possible. 

As I am writing this letter, I am reminded of the importance of having spiritual leadership in our homes and lives. Spiritual leaders assume the responsibility for the health of their relationships. This means they set the tone. They must initiate what they want others to do. Because no home can thrive without functioning according to sound leadership principles. In 1 Peter, the author challenges us to live with each other in an understanding way. We should honor one another and model submission and service. As spiritual leaders, we should initiate blessing rather than retaliate when things do not go our way.

In these unprecedented times, spiritual leadership is a "must-have" and a "must-do" in our families, communities, and organizations. We must be willing to step up and show patience, kindness, humbleness, faith, hope, joy, and unconditional love for others. When Spiritual leaders lead, they remember the example of Christ's sufferings. When they shepherd, they do it out of a sense of privilege rather than obligation. When they serve, they are motivated by the will of God rather than man. When they minister, they are driven by a Godly passion, not personal gain. When they are influencing, they make sure their life example speaks clearly. And when sacrificing, they have the patience to wait for the ultimate reward and do not expect immediate pay.

In this role, a leader is called to be a minister to the people. We should serve before being served, you know, be the hands and feet of Christ. We should be a mentor to the people. We should eagerly invest our time and talents when serving the people. In other words, we must set an example for others to follow. We should be a manager of the people. We have a responsibility and should exercise oversight over those who have been entrusted in our care, not just family but all those who surround us. Finally, spiritual leaders should/must be a model for the people. We should set an example for others to follow by demonstrating how to live our lives. You know by making a difference and adding value to all those surrounding us.

I want to encourage each of us to be the example of spiritual leadership for others to follow. It has been a tough year for all of us with the uncertainties of the pandemic plaguing our lives, and each day I pray for each of us to experience good health and the unconditional love of Jesus Christ in our lives. Remember, "A leader is to humble himself or herself by casting all his/her cares on God," 1 Peter 5:7. What better way to make a difference and add value than to follow His example for our lives, just saying… 1 Peter 5:1-4

Have a wonderful day.

James Dodwell

Out of Control...Into the Water

Do you ever feel your life is out of control, spinning so fast that you cannot focus on one thing long enough to plant your foot and stop? What??? Yes, me, also. It happens too often these days with all the things happening in our lives, especially now during these times; even in the time way long ago, we now identify as the "pre-covid era", we called "normal" controlling a circumstance depended on the altitude of our attitude. After all, our attitude is controlled by our attitude, which gives us the ability to rise above a situation and review our options with a little more understanding. Lower altitudes inhibit our ability to look ahead or to see through all the stuff that is blocking our vision, on the other hand, higher altitudes allow us to see farther, "Granting us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference." 

Recently, our son's family came for a visit, and we went to the lake to enjoy the afternoon around the water. The water was extremely rough on that day due to wind and the number of other boaters enjoying their day. While on the boat the grans were stumbling around wanting to stand at the sides and watch the wake cast by the pontoons, but the bounce and rough ride cause them balance issues so we had to kind of subdue them and keep them still, impossible for a four and three year young full of energy, fueled by goldfish, grapes, fruit snacks along with a Capri sun juice packet or twelve. So, we decided to retire back to our friend's house to just get in the water, which was fine with our grandson because our friend's grandson was visiting them. He couldn't wait to share the afternoon playing in the sand and water with him.

It was a nice afternoon, chatting it up with good, longtime friends, talking about anything and everything, and watching the children entertain themselves. Once we begin to gather our belongings to leave, I was standing on the dock listening to the final conversations of the day when I stepped back to grab the cooler and begin to feel myself getting out of control. I could not move my feet fast enough to maintain my balance, and I started to fall backward off the dock. I wished I could have seen me from a different perspective. I bet I was a sight, arms flailing, legs and feet fighting for some solid surface, but to no avail, my body was out of control, falling like a tree being felled right into the shallow water. I remember thinking in those few seconds how out of control I felt, nothing I could do by then to prevent the fall and splash into the water. Oh, I was grabbing at everything, air, birds, dock post, but nothing was there to catch my fall, so I just gave in and patiently awaited my landing, which wasn't bad after I relinquished trying to maintain total control of the situation. It took a minute for everyone to realize what had happened, no harm, no foul, then the laughter began, and it was all good; wet and a little embarrassing; but refreshingly good. 

As leaders, we have been gifted an attitude of altitude to share with our followers. We are representatives of control and guidance for them in our walk and in our talk. It's God's gift to leaders who follow Him as we represent the hands and feet of Christ Jesus. Our vision has been cast, and we have an obligation as leaders in our homes, communities, and organizations to assist in maintaining some control to situations seemingly chaotic and hectic. As leaders, I believe it must do more with controlling self than controlling a situation or others. We walk among the people, share our hope, our faith, our joy, and our unconditional love. Jesus did not come and die for us to live a defeated life. He died to give us life everlasting, undefeated by the problems of the world. If we as leaders, retreat, our followers retreat, if we stand bold as lions (Proverbs 28:1), guess what, they will also.

The Bible warns us if we do not control self, first, we will be slaves to what controls us, food, lust, money, our words, our circumstances, and on and on. Controlling self is the very foundation for living a life of righteousness and selflessness that reflects Jesus and brings glory to God. He has gifted us the power to keep our life in control if we would only lean into Him and ask it in His name.

I encourage each of us to understand it is time to get into the word of God and allow Scripture to change our hearts and minds. Leaders reach out to others and help them understand that maintaining control starts with taking small steps each day to bring our thoughts and actions back in line with God's plan for our lives. After all, how do you eat an elephant, that is right, one bite at a time. Just saying… So today go out there, yes out there in a world of indecision and chaos, to make a difference and add value by sharing your faith, hope, joy, and the unconditional love of Jesus Christ with others. Galatians 5:22-23

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell

Searching for Contentment...

Contentment is the word and feeling I am pondering today. It came to me in a dream a few nights ago, and I can not stop thinking about it. There are many ways to define contentment and how to be content with our lives. I have logged several quotes over the years in my journal. Some of them include the word happiness, faith, joy, hope, and love, but each reminds us we should believe that God is working in our lives, and we should believe in ourselves. Why? Because through Him, we are braver than we think, more talented than we know, and more capable than we imagine.

Contentment comes in many different forms for each of us. For me, I am most content when I am around and with my family. Recently, our son and his family visited for the day, and everyone gathered in different areas of our home, porch, kitchen, yard, etc. However, our grandson and I were sitting comfortably together on the couch, him leaned back under my arm watching cartoons, and the world was at peace. What made it even better? Our granddaughter climbed onto my lap and joined us. There was very little conversation; it was mostly their laughter filling the conversation gap as we watched the silliness on the screen. They were safe from harm; they were free to be themselves, comfortable in my arms, and they were happy and laughing and me; well, I was in a state of bliss. In other words, I was content at that moment with everything in my world.

Philippians 4:11-13 begins and ends with two sentences I have printed on a label, taped and attached to a spot I see every day to help me remember who oversees my life. The verses read, “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him that strengthens me.” I have read these sentences more days than I can remember to which, I am always reminded, He has got this. He is in control. All I need to do is allow Him to remain in control, not try to do it by myself, and to live a life filled with faith, hope, joy, unconditional love, and contentment.

Maya Angelou wrote, “We need much less than we think we need.” So true, when we look to fill a void in our lives with possessions or money, we only end up wanting more. All those things we fill our lives with are not necessarily bad, but when they become the end goals and reason for our being, we become discontented because those things were never meant to fulfill us.

The only place we can really find fulfillment and true contentment is in Christ. In other words, true contentment is not something we find in things, people, or circumstances. It is only to be discovered in our commitment. Rob Kubin said it best, “We have to choose to rest on God’s good promises despite what may be going on in our lives.” And currently, we have a lot going on in our lives. We are worried about the pandemic and its effect on our lives, our families, our communities, and our organizations. As leaders, we must hold fast to our convictions and values to light the paths for others to follow. As leaders, we must remember to light a candle in the darkest moments of someone’s life. Be the light that helps others see; it is what gives life its deepest significance.

I encourage us as leaders to use our light to make a difference and add value to others. Be significant in their lives. I found a poem written by Roy Bennett that I saved and will conclude with today. It is titled Don’t Just…

Don’t just learn, experience. Don’t just read, absorb. Don’t just change, transform. Don’t just relate, advocate. Don’t just criticize, encourage. Don’t just think, ponder. Don’t just take, give. Don’t just see, feel. Don’t just dream, do. Don’t just hear, listen. Don’t just talk, act. Don’t just tell, show. Don’t just exist, LIVE! Philippians 4:13

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell

Life With Assurance

A friend came by for a visit, recently. We exchanged pleasantries about how each of our families was doing, asked if anything was new and how was business; you know, the usual small talk between old friends. Then he began talking about the issues plaguing the world, communities, and families with the current situation. One thing he brought up was how everyone, even him, is living in apprehension and fear and it was very concerning. These words surprised me coming from him because this is a man who, years ago, left everything behind to move his family to Africa, without any knowledge of where they would be living or how they would survive in a strange environment to do missionary work for 20 plus years. Although I thought he was taking a big chance, at the time, the thing that most impressed me about him, and his family, was that they were fearless and focused to endeavor to persevere in their mission to build churches, schools, and other infrastructure to aid the people in Africa. With the Church in support of them, many prayers, and their faith in Jesus Christ, they did just what they set out to do, make a difference and add value to others.

During our visit, the conversation began to stir up feelings of apprehension and fear within me, because, as you know, the past few months have been extremely stressful for all of us and our families; then to create more chaos, the issue with the demonstrations in different cities has compounded the uneasiness of the normally calm, cool and collected, guardian, alpha male in my family. I believe what has troubled me the most is knowing how our faith can falter or become unstable if we allow apprehensions to enter our thinking and we forget to take a deep, spiritual breath of God’s assurance. The only way to remove fear (False Evidence Appearing Real) from our lives is to listen to God’s assurance to us. Just saying…

Although I prefer to hold these feelings close, sometimes even a big boy like me becomes fearful and is filled with apprehension during troubled times. When this happens, I refer to our instruction manual, the Bible and in the Book of Hebrews verses 13:5-6, it states, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So, we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?” In other words, we should not be obsessed with apprehension or fear. This does not mean we will not be tempted to fear or be apprehensive, but we should lean into God’s words of assurance to help us strengthen our resolve and not allow our faith to falter.

When I read this passage, I am reminded of the spiritual leaders and mentors who have blessed my life by sharing their faith, hope, joy, and unconditional love for me. They were always taking time out of their busy schedules to assist me when I failed and when I succeeded. They would politely listen then offer paths to solutions. They did not tell me what to do or how to do it, they simply helped me find my own way and helped me come to my own realization of what needed to be done. They supported my decisions good and bad, and helped me to grow and stretch. Sometimes I got “skin’t up” with some of my lame-brained attempts at growth, but overall, it was not too bad. 

As I ponder the latter, these Spiritual leaders and mentors are placed in our lives to remind us Jesus Christ is always there for us and He is the same yesterday, today and forever. In other words, the wisdom God placed into those spiritual leaders and mentors in years gone by, He can and will do the same for you and me! If we will lean into Him, He will liberate us from fear and apprehension, free us from worry and strife, empower us with knowledge, wisdom and skills that will help us to stretch and grow to reach our potential. Simply stated, they were there to make a difference and add value to us and as we mature, we will be able to do the same for others.

I encourage each of us as leaders in our homes, communities, and organizations to practice the discipline of self. Lean into the Lord who is the ultimate spiritual leader and mentor for our lives. People follow leaders because they see a life, they believe they can trust and one they want to emulate. Be that leaders. Believe, you are that leader. Understand when fear and apprehension begin to creep into our life and our walk, we have a solution, God’s assurance and when we yield to His assurance, we produce a life worth following. It will make a difference and add value. Hebrews 13:5-6

Have a wonderful day,

James Dodwell

TAKE THE HIGH ROAD

During a crisis, any type you care to define, leadership is key to successful resolution. The resolution could be similar to the three answers to prayer – “yes,” “no,” or “wait.” We are currently in the wait mode, which implies we must be patient and carry on as best we can.

Leaders are the focal point for information to make decisions on the path to resolution. While waiting for answers;  “like flattening the curve,” a positive, realistic outlook is required. This is called “taking the High Road.”

The High Road is paved with characteristics like courage, commitment, and integrity - which is my favorite. In defining the word integrity to youngsters, a good response is “doing the right thing when nobody’s around.” By extension, “doing the right thing when everybody’s around” is a trait of leaders with integrity. 

We can debate any leader’s decision; but a good leader makes the best decision with the given information at that time.  Do you want the 80% solution now OR the 100% solution whenever?

HOPE for the future is what keeps people pressing on. The Lord did not suggest, imply, or even hint at His plan for us; He DECLARED it!

Read again the words from Jeremiah. Now let us - call on Him and come and pray to Him and wait. Take the High Road in all that we do and say. Be a leader and a beacon of HOPE!

For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’”  Jeremiah 29: 11-13

Anonymous Contributor seeking to keep God First.